Shoe fitting



May 27, 1958 v s, MOTT 2,835,908

SHOE FITTING Filed Dec. 21. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGZ. FIGJ.

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SHOE FITTING Filed Dec. 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TraEMQa UnitedStates Patent SHOE FITTING Howard V. S. Mott, La Grange, Mo.

Application December 21, 1953, Serial No. 399,490

2 Claims. (Cl. 12--142) This invention relates generally to themanufacture of shoes, and particularly to the gradation and sizing ofinsoles and lasts to the end that more perfect fitting of shoes to feetwill be accomplished.

In the manufacture of shoes, the size and shape is initially controlledby the size and shape of the last on which the shoe is made. After theshoe is removed from the last, however, the insole is the elementdepended upon to maintain the flexible parts, such as the upper, to thesize and shape initially dictated by the last.

The size of a shoe, which is conventionally in dicated by a numeral, isan indication of the length of the shoe relative to a constant; thevarious size numerals indicate that so many increments have been addedto, or subtracted from, a constant (arbitrary) dimension of over-all orstick-length for a given shoe size.

The width of a shoe, which is usually indicated by one or morealphabetical characters, is likewise conventionally controlled from aconstant dimension measured in a direction transversely of the shoe, andthe various width designations indicate that so many increments havebeen added to, or subtracted from, the constant in order to achieve thestated width for a given size.

Despite various efforts, at various times, to standardize themeasurement of shoes, it remains a fact that while a shoe of a givensize and width from one manufacturer may fit a given foot withreasonable comfort, a shoe of the same indicated size and width fromanother manufacturer is, more frequently than not, either too large ortoo small for that foot. Indeed, shoes from the same manufacturerfrequently differ as between different styles in actual width and actualsize, although the designations may be the same.

In order to fully comprehend the following discussion, certainexpressions require precise definition:

The expression inner ball border, has reference to 4 that portion of theperiphery of the fore part of an insole (or last) which makes contactwith an inside tangent. By inside tangent is meant a straight linemaking tangential contact with the insole periphery at both the heel andthe fore part thereof, on the inside thereof.

By inside, is meant the left side for the right side for the left foot.

The outer ball border is that portion of the periphery of the fore partof an insole (or last) which makes contact with a straight line parallelwith the inside tangent but making tangential contact with the insoleperiphery at the fore part thereof on the outside. By outside, is meantthe side opposite the inside.

The expression ball line, as used herein, is a line extending betweenthe outer ball border and the inner ball border of an insole, last, orshoe.

From X-ray examination of numerous mature feet, I have ascertained that(with the inside of the foot placed against a straight edge so as tomake contact at the fore part as well as at the heel) the lateral aspectof the distal end of the fifth metatarsal is, in more than eighty-fivepercent of the normal feet which I have examined, be-

the right foot, or

2,835,968 Patented May 27, 1958 ice tween three-quarters of an inch andan inch and a quarter (measured parallel with said straight edge)heelwardly of the medial aspect of the distal end of the firstmetatarsal, abnormalities excepted. This last-mentioned distance ishereinafter termed recession and is applicable to insoles, lasts, andshoes, as well as to feet. My observations indicate that this order ofrecession holds true regardless of the overall length of the foot, andregardless of the width thereof, with notably few exceptions amongnormal mature feet. The diagonal line extending across a foot betweenthe lateral aspect of the distal end of the fifth metatarsal and themedial aspect of the distal end of the first metatarsal is herein calledthe ball line of the foot.

Optimum comfort is achieved when a shoe is fitted to a foot so that theball line of the foot is coincident with the ball line of the shoe,which latter is dictated by the ball line of the last on which it ismade, and the ball line of the insole embodied in it. Such coincidenceof the ball line of the foot with the ball line is rarely achieved, andthen only by happenstance, in factory run (as distinguished from custommade) shoes because, in practice, it has not been realized that theangularity of the ball line of the foot, as well as of a shoe, withrespect to a straight edge placed as aforesaid, depends not only uponthe degree of recession, but also upon the width as measured along theball line. Consequently the extreme widths of insoles, lasts, and shoes,do not coincide with the foots triangularity.

It has been previously proposed, as, for example, in the Tuinder PatentNo. 1,362,157, to improve the fitting of shoes by fixation of a definiteangle for the ball line, and constructing the shoes so as to flex alongthat ball line. In said Tuinder patent, it was proposed that such ballline be extended at an angle of 70 with an axis line extending betweenthe tip of the toe and the tip of the heel. In arriving at the locationof this axis line, however, it was proposed to position the ball linearbitrarily so as to intersect the axis line at one-third of the totaldistance heelwardly from the tip of the toe. The intersections of theball line with the opposite peripheries of the insole, which wereequidistant from the axis line were thus entirely dependent upon theoverall length of the sole, including the toe portion, which latter issubject, in practice, to wide variation in the interests of style, andwhich, in fact, has naught to do with the correct fitting of a shoe,provided only that the toe room provided be adequate. Not only was thelengthwise position of the ball line affected by the contour of the toe,but according to the Tuinder method, the angularity of the ball linewith reference to an inside tangent is also affected. On the latterpoint, it is noteworthy that the angle shown in the Tuinder patentbetween the ball line and an inside tangent is but 63". In order toavoid the manifestations of ill fitting in walking, it is essential thatthe shoe be so shaped as to snugly fit the font at the section occupiedby the heads of the metatarsals which transmit the body weight and forceof walking to the shoe. If the shoe does not snugly fit the foot at thissection, the loading of the foot during walking drives the foot forwardin the shoe, and brings the toes, or some portions thereof, into thrusttransmitting engagement with the interior of the shoe upper. On theother hand, if the shoe snugly fits both the medial and lateral aspectsof the foot at the metatarsal head areas, the Walking thrust istransferred to the interior of the shoe adjacent the metatarsal heads,where the foot structure and tissue is best fitted and able to sustainit, and the structure and tissue forwardly thereof is relieved of thestrain, unnecessary pressure and friction.

In order to assure snug fitting of the shoe at the metatarsal headareas, it is therefore essential that the insole be so proportioned andcontoured that the ball line of the insole is substantially coincidentwith the ball line of the foot occupying the shoe, but this resultcannot be accomplished by the arbitrary selection of a certainangularity for the ball line and any effort to improve the fitting ofthe shoes by the fixation of a definite angle for the ball line results,in most cases, in more harm than good, because even if the angularitywas correct for one size and width, it would be wrong for all othersizes and all other widths of that size in the same family of insoles,lasts, or shoes. Hence the fixation of any certain ball line angleresults, in the majority of cases, in a situation Where if the innerball border of the insole hap pens, pcrchance, to coincide with themedial aspect of the distal end of the first metatarsal, the outer ballborder of the insole will seldom coincide with the lateral aspect of thedistal end of the fifth metatarsal, and 'icc-versa. Furthermore, when,as in the Tninder patent, the disposition of the ball line of the shoeis made dependent upon the extent and shape of the toe tip, theprobability of such coincidence, either at the outside or at the inside,is reduced almost to nil.

The word family, as used herein in connection with shoes, insoles andlasts, will be understood to embrace the several sizes and widths of agiven pattern. The contour of the respective members of a family isusually determined by taking a model pattern and then adding to it, orsubtracting from it certain marginal increments which is calledextension. For example, in adults shoes it is conventional thatone-sixteenth inch laterally and one-twenty-fourth inch longitudinallybe added (or subtracted) between widths, and that two-twelfth inch beadded (or subtracted) longitudinally and one-twentyfourth inch be added(or subtracted) laterally between half sizes.

The object of the present invention, generally stated, is to improve thefitting of shoes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of sizing andgrading shoes wherein the dimensions are taken between points and indirections which are critical in the fitting of shoes. 7

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled inthe art when the following description is read in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a diagram of an insole dimensioned in accordance with thepresent invention, and illustrating the manner of measuring the same inaccordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a diagram showing in superposed relationship the peripheraloutlines, and ball lines, of a plurality of members of a family ofinsoles proportioned in accordance with this invention; and

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the extremes of the insoles in the familyshown in Figure 2 but superposed in a different manner to show theconstancy of recession throughout the family.

In accordance with the present invention a family of shoes, lasts, orinsoles is constructed so that all members of the family have the samerecession (preferably one inch) regardless of size (length) or width.Thus the angularity of the ball line (with respect to the insidetangent) will be less in a narrow member of the family than in widermembers of the family. The standardization of recession in a givenfamily of shoes effects a closer conformity with average foot anatomythan any standardization of the angularity of the ball line of the shoebecause the angularity of the ball line of narrow feet is sharplydifferent (on the average) from the angularity of the ball line of widefeet, yet the recession is remarkably constant irrespective of the widthof mature normal feet.

While the preferred recession of one inch is adaptable to the majorityof present day shoe patterns of the conservative type, it is to beunderstood that the optimum recession for a family is to some extentdependent upon the styling of the familys model last and consequentlythe recession may be small as a half inch or as great as an inch and aquarter, provided that in any given family the recession is constant.

In order to take full advantage of the constancy of recession, theinvention further contemplates that shoe lengths be measured along theinside tangent between a perpendicular thereto (herein called a baseline) which is tangent with the heel contour at its extreme rear, andthe inner ball border. The length and shape of the toe is thus ignoredin sizing and fitting provided the toe room be adequate. Thus all menssize 7s (for example), regardless of width, will have the same length(e. g., 7%. inches), and all Womens size 4s (for example), regardless ofwidth, will have the length (e. g., 6% inches) when thus measured; andlarger or smaller sizes (lengths) will differ therefrom by plus or minusstandard increments (e. g., 7 inch per size). By thus eliminating thevariation in heel to inner ball length which now occurs among theseveral widths of shoes of the same size, it becomes possible toeliminate the so-. called half-sizes without adversely affectinglengthwise fitability. This is because there is usually the samevariation in stick-length between a conventional 7A and 7E as there isbetween a conventional 7A and 7 /zA whereas, when lengths are measuredaccording to this invention the stick-length of a size 7 may be as greatas the stick-length of a conventional size 10 without affecting thecomfort of fitting. When length is measured according to this invention,it the increments between sizes be as much as twice the incrementsbetween conventional half-sizes more comfortable fitting is achievedbecause it is infinitely more important to comfort that the medialaspect of the distal end of the first metatarsal of the foot be within asixth of an inch of the inner ball border of the shoe, than that the endof the big toe "be within a sixth of an inch of the tip of the shoe.However, if the increments between sizes measured according to thepresent invention be reduced to W inch, for example, as preferred, thensome size will always come within inch of matching the heel to inner'ball measurement of any given foot, an accuracy of fitting, atthe ball,which is rarely, and then only accidentally; achieved with conventionalshoes whose stick-lengths,.-by half-sizes, are designed to come withininch of matching the stick-length of any given foot. The method ofmeasuring lasts from heel to inner ball, as above described, while ofspecial importance in connection with the maintenance of constantrecession, as aforesaid, may be used with advantage to improvelengthwise fitting of shoes without constant recession. The medialaspect of the distal end of the first metatarsal may be readilyidentified on any foot even by a layman, and hence if the heel be placedin a square angle one leg (base line) of which is tangent with the rearof the heel and the other leg (inside tangent) of which is tangent withboth the inside of the heel and the medial aspect of the distal end ofthe first metatarsal the distance, along the second mentioned leg(inside tangent) between the first mentioned leg (base line) and thepoint of tangence with the medial aspect of the distal end of the firstmetatarsal, may readily be measured. Given shoes whose lasts and insoleswere measured in the same manner (so that the corresponding dimension isknown or ascertainable) it is a simple matter to select the size of shoewhich cor- ;esponds most nearly to the measured dimension of the cot.

A further feature of the invention involves the taking of the so-calledball girth measurement of a last along the ball line, and in particularthe measurement of width (of insoles, lasts, and shoes) along saidlinerather than in approximate perpendicularity to an im aginary centerline of the insole or last. obliquity of the ball line with respect tothe direction along which width and ball girth measurements have Due tothe heretofore been taken, the finite measurements of these twodimensions will, according to the present invention exceed thoseheretofore common in the art. Furthermore at a recession of about aninch the obliquity of the ball line is greater than has heretofore beencommon and that factor adds further to the finite measurement of ballgirth and width, particularly in the narrower members of a family whenthe obliquity is greater than in wider members having the samerecession. The measurement of width along the ball line (with properindication thereof on the finished shoe) also facilitates comfortablefitting because any foot may readily be measured to ascertain thedistance between the medial aspect of the distal end of the firstmetatarsal and the lateral aspect of the distal end of the fifth. Thisball line of the foot is, under optimum fitting conditions, coincidentwith the hall line of the shoe or insole and consequently the two may bereadily matched to the nearest Width increment. Measurement of the widthdimension along the ball line makes it possible to reduce the number ofconventional width variations by about one-fourth, without changing theincremental differences between width A and B, B and C, etc., asheretofore practiced. For example the increase in width, asconventionally measured, by ten percent only increases the width, asmeasured along the ball line according to this invention, by about sevenor eight percent depending upon the obliquity of the ball line; andconsequently there is less finite difference between the maximum andminimum widths (in a given size) when measured according to the presentinvention than when measured in the conventional manner. The measurementof widths along the ball line has a further advantage when the footbeing fitted is measured in such manner that its recession may be noted,in that (in fitting shoe from a family having a recession of one inch,for example) if the measured width of the foot (along the ball line)falls between the finite width of B andC (for example) the narrower willbe appropriate if the recession of the foot is greater than one inchthewider will be appropriate if the recession of the foot.is less than oneinch. As a practical matter feet having recession of between inch and 1%inches can with few exceptions be comfortably fitted in shoes having arecession of 1 inch when length and width of both last (and insole) andfeet are measured as aforesaid.

The invention also contemplates that the so-called waist girthmeasurement of lasts be taken parallel with the ball line, and hencethis dimension is finitely greater in lasts proportioned according tothis invention than in conventional lasts, due to the obliquity of themeasurement.

A convenient way to measure feet in a conformity with the presentinvention is to plant the foot (with the weight on it) upon a piece ofpaper and draw a pencil line about the foot; then fit the outline intothe corner of a square whose one leg (base line) is tangent with theheel end of the outline while the other leg (inside tangent) is tangentwith the medial aspect of the outline both at the heel and at theforepart; and then draw a parallel (outside tangent) to the insidetangent so that the parallel is tangent with the outside of the outline.The distance between the base line and the point of tangence between theforepart and the inside tangent is the length; the distance between thetwo points of tangence at opposite sides of the forepart is the width;and the difference between the length and distance from the point oftangence on the outside tangent to the base line is the recession.

Consequently, the invention contemplates a family of insoles, lasts andshoes which differ from each other in length (measured as aforesaid) andin width (measured as aforesaid), but with constant recession. Howeverthe invention also envisions related families of shoes wherein there maybe other degrees of recession, as for example,

6 three-quarters of an inch, as well as one inch for each given degreeof width and length. In the latter event each shoe must be marked withthe degree of recession as well as the size and width.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference may be hadto Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing in which i represents theoutline of an insole (but could as well be the bottom of a last or ahuman foot) positioned in the corner of a square formed by lines OX andOY. OX represents the base line above mentioned, and OY represents theinside tangent along which length is measured. It will be observed thatthe rearmost extremity of the heel A is tangent. with the line OX andthat the inside contour of the heel is tangent with the line OY at pointS. The point B represents the inner ball border of the insole, and islikewise tangent with the line OY. The distance OB is the dimensionwhich controls the size (length) of the shoe, last, insole or foot, asthe case may be. Point B also represents, in the case of a foot, themedial aspect of the distal end of the first metatarsal.

The line XY represents the outside tangent and is parallel with line OY.Point R represents the outer ball border at which line XZ is tangent.The length diiference between OB and XR is the recession. Line BRrepresents the ball line along which width (W) is measured.

Referring now to Figure 2, a representative part or" a family of insolesproportioned according to the invention is shown. Seven sizes, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, and 10, all of B width are shown. Those skilled in the art willreadily understand the relationship of other widths for each size shownas well as for the larger and smaller sizes (not shown) of the family.For clarity, the figure shows the forepart only of sizes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,and 9. The ball lines of the respective sizes are indicated by thecorresponding reference numeral having the sufiix W, and the oppositeends of such lines indicate respectively the outer and inner ballborders for the corresponding size.

In Figure 3 the insoles 4 and 10, being respectively the smallest andlargest members of the family shown in Figure 2 are superposed toillustrate the constancy of recession, but difference in angularity ofthe ball line,

as between the larger and smaller members of the family.

Point R, as in Figure 1, represents the outer ball borders of bothinsoles and points B represent their inner ball borders. B is the pointof intersection between the outer periphery of the respective insolesand a perpendicular to their respective inside tangents. Line 4W is theball line of size 4, and line 10W is the ball line of size 10. The balllines 4W and 10W meet at R despite their divergence away from each othertoward the respective inner ball borders. It will be observed that thedistance (measured along an outside tangent) between B and B (i. e., therecession) is the same for the size 4 as for the size 10.

While in the accompanying drawings the insoles illustrated are those forwomens shoes, it will be understood that the same principles may beapplied in the proportioning, grading, and fitting of mens and missesshoes, and generally also to youths and childrens shoes; although inconnection with the latter, it may be noted that aconsiderableproportion of feet in their formative stages have recessionsof less than three-quarters of an inch or more than an inch and aquarter, which is quite in contrast with the situation I have found toexist among adult feet. The greater variation in recession found inchildrens feet, however, does not alter the other principles of theinvention, for in any event, the locus of the medial aspect of thedistal end of the first metatarsal and the locus of the lateral aspectof the distal end of the fifth metatarsal may be easily identified onany foot, and if the shoe is constructed on a last and with an insolewhose length, width, and recession are known, and

the shoe correctly indicates those dimensions, fitting is easilyaccomplished to conform to foot anatomy.

The invention is not concerned with the shape of either the heel or thetoe portion of the shoe, provided, as indicated above, there be adequatetoe room ahead of the ball line and provided further that the heelcontour be selected from among those known in the art to besatisfactory.

The invention thus eliminates from consideration in shoe fitting theoverall length of the shoe, and likewise eliminates consideration of theso-called tread width as these dimensions never provide a standard bywhich to judge correctness of fitting along the ball line of the foot.Even without the constant recession in a given family of shoe sizes andWidths, however, fitting is facilitated in accordance with the presentinvention where the foot is measured to ascertain distance OB betweenthe rear extremity of the heel and the medial aspect of the distal endof the first metatarsal, and the width is measured between the medialaspect of the distal end of the first metatarsal and the lateral aspectof the distal end of the fifth metatarsal; and the shoes aremanufactured with those dimensions similarly measured and indicatedthereon. When the constant recession feature of the invention isutilized and a foot is encountered whose recession departs substantiallyfrom the constant recession employed in the manufacture of that familyof shoes, that foot can be recognized at once as being unsuitable to befitted with a shoe of that family. Indeed were it not for the capitalburden, to retailers as well as manufacturers, involved in the carryingin stock of the present range of sizes and widths it would be desirableto .provide at least two related families of shoes, the familiesdiffering from each other in degree of recession, but the recessionbeing constant Within each family.

From the foregoing description, it should be readily understood that theinvention in providing for the measurement of feet, lasts, insoles, andshoes in the three dimensions indicated substantially eliminates theguess work from shoe fitting, and thus contributes not only to the easeof marketing shoes, but also to the health and comfort of the feet whichmust occupy them. Furthermore shoes constructed according to theinvention may carry on the uppers or soles a strip, spot of chalk, orother mark which visually indicates the location of the inner and outerball borders. Such a mark may be removably secured to the exterior ofthe shoe upper or, may be opaque to X-ray, and an X-ray demonstrationgiven in each fitting. Also a contrast mark (but visible) or opaquesubstance can be carried by the insole for use in transparent plasticshoes.

While the invention has been specifically described with reference tothe insole outline of a typical womans shoe, it is to be distinctlyunderstood that the contour of the toe part, the heel part, and theshank may be subject to wide variation without affecting the principlesof the present invention, or the results thereby accomplishedConsequently, it is to be distinctly understood that such modificationsand variations of the embodiment hereinbefore described as may presentthemselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritof the invention are, although not specifically described herein,contemplated by and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of making a shoe to fit a particular foot which comprisesplacing the foot in the angle of a square so that the rear of the heelis tangent with one leg of the square and both the inside of the heeland the medial aspect of the distal end of the first metatarsal bone aretangent with the second leg of the square, measuring the distancebetween the locus of tangence with said medial aspect and the vertex ofsaid angle, measuring the distance between said medial aspect and thelateral aspect of the distal end of the fifth metatarsal, measuring thedisplacement parallel with said second leg of the square between saidmedial aspect and said lateral aspect determining the dimensions of alast in the three respects aforesaid, and constructing the shoe on saidlast, whereby said three dimensions correspond substantially with theaforesaid three foot meaurernents.

2. In the art of fitting a shoe to a particular foot, the method whichcomprises placing the foot in the angle of a square so that the rear ofthe heel is tangent with one leg of the square and both the inside ofthe heel and the medial aspect of the distal end of the first metatarsalbone are tangent with the second leg of the square, measuring thedistance between the locus of tangence with said medial aspect and thevertex of said angle, measuring the distance between said medial aspectand the lateral aspect of the distal end of the fifth metatarsal,measuring the displacement parallel with said second leg of the squarebetween said medial aspect and said lateral aspect, and providing a shoewhose dimensions in the three respects aforesaid correspondsubstantially with the aforesaid three foot measurements.

The Human Foot (Scholl), Foot Specialist Publ. Co. (Chicago), pages318-323. (Copy in Div. 11.)

The Boot and Shoe Maker (Bordoli), vol. II, Gresham Publ. Co. (London),pages 225235. (Copy in Div. 11.)

